The present invention relates generally to air treatment systems, such as air purifiers, air humidifiers and combinations thereof, and more specifically to a novel air treatment system.
It is often desirable to alter the quality of air present in a house, office or other enclosed space. For example, in the allergy seasons, spanning approximately from April to October, it is often desirable to remove allergens from air present in an enclosed space since such allergens may cause sneezing, congestion and/or breathing problems to certain persons exposed thereto. Also, regardless of the time of the year, there are other sources of air pollutants, such as tobacco smoke, which can be irritating to people exposed thereto and which it would be desirable to remove from air.
Furthermore, in the wintertime, it is often desirable to humidify the air present within an enclosed space since such air is frequently very dry due to heaters used to raise the temperature of the air. Dry air is undesirable for many people because it often results in blocked nasal passages, breathing difficulty, and sinus pressure and headaches related therewith.
Air purifiers are well-known devices used to remove allergens and other pollutants from air. An example of a window mounted air purifier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,357 to Gysi, which issued on Aug. 16, 1977. In this patent, there is disclosed a filter unit having a central member of substantially rectangle cross section and made up of one or more interconnected sections and having ends slidably fitting into end members of the same cross-section. The central member is formed with ventilating apertures in front and rear walls thereof through which air can flow, and a filter medium is positioned in each section so that the air must flow therethrough. Filler strips are formed on and extend the length of the upper and lower edges of the end members so that said unit has continuous upper and lower edges in common upper and lower planes and extending the length thereof.
It should be noted that the above-described air purifier has certain drawbacks. For instance, because the aforementioned air purifier is intended to be mounted in a window, it must, in many instances, be removed from the window when it is desired to clean or change the air filter or in the wintertime when it is desired to keep warm air in the enclosed space. However, as can readily be appreciated, removal of the air purifier from the window causes the air to be unfiltered.
Ionizers, as well as combination air purifier/ionizers, are other well-known devices used to alter the quality of air in an enclosed space. An ionizer typically includes one or more electrically charged ionizer needles which impart a negative charge to air particles passing through the electric field created by the ionizer needles. The negatively charged air particles attract particulates, such as allergens or other pollutants, which carry a positive charge. The attraction between, the negatively charged air particles and the positively charged particulates causes the positively charged particulates to become neutrally charged, and as a result, to fall from the air to the ground.
As can be appreciated, air purifiers, ionizers or combinations thereof can only purify air and do not also humidify the air being purified.
Air humidifiers (or simply "humidifiers") are also well-known devices used to maintain the proper level of humidity in an enclosed space. An example of a humidifier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,904 to Pepper, which issued on Jul. 28, 1992. In this patent, a humidifier is described which comprises a cabinet including a top wall having therein an air outlet, a bottom wall having therein an air inlet, and a water reservoir having portions on opposite sides of the air inlet, a wicking element including generally horizontally spaced-apart peripheral portions each located above a respective one of the reservoir portions, and also including a central portion located between the peripheral portions and above the inlet, material for transferring water from one of the reservoir portions to the respective peripheral portion of the wicking element and for transferring water from the other of the reservoir portions to the respective peripheral portion of the wicking element, and a fan supported by the cabinet and located above the wicking element for forcing air flow in a substantially vertical direction through the inlet and the central portion of the wicking element and out the outlet.
As can be appreciated, a humidifier as described above can only humidify air and does not also purify the air being humidified.
Combination air purifier/humidifiers are also well known. One example of a combination air purifier/humidifier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,781 to Hitzler, which issued on May 16, 1989. In this patent, an appliance for purifying, humidifying or dehumidifying, cooling or heating gases, especially room air is disclosed. This appliance carries out purification by means of a plate stack rotating in a liquid. To regulate or vary the air humidity, the incoming air is conveyed through an evaporator and the purified out going air is conveyed through a condenser of a refrigerant circuit. The effectiveness of the condenser is influenced by an additional condenser.
Another example of a combination air purifier/humidifier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,494 to Keuls, which issued on Sep. 11, 1973. In this patent, a window-mounted air purifier and humidifier is described, the air purifier/air humidifier comprising a two-part casing or housing, one of which parts has a wall for inlet of external air and is formed at its lower end with a well portion for containing a supply of water and for holding a partially submerged air scrubber or wick. The other part of the casing serves as a closure and constitutes a portion of the top wall and a portion of the front wall of the casing. Means are formed on the exterior of the casing to enable it to be mounted on the window sill in a position such that not more than about one-half of its depth protrudes into the interior of the room.
The primary drawback of the devices described in the two aforementioned patents is that neither device addresses the fact that different types of problems involving air quality occur at different times during the year. For example, as noted above, allergens, such as pollen, are the principal problem affecting air quality in the summertime whereas dry air and pollutants, like tobacco smoke, are the principal problems affecting air quality in the wintertime.